Keyless entry, ignition can be start of trouble

February 15, 2010|By and Ken Bensinger, Tribune Newspapers

LOS ANGELES — — Car keys appear headed for extinction, as automakers rush to install wireless systems that allow drivers to unlock their doors and start their engines with a fob in their purse or pocket.

Introduced less than a decade ago on luxury models, the push-button systems are spreading to all segments of the market, including bargain-priced Kias. Many drivers don't fully understand how the systems work, however, leaving them vulnerable to potentially serious problems.

In complaints to federal regulators, motorists have reported that they were unable to shut down engines in highway emergencies, including sudden acceleration events. In other cases, parked vehicles rolled away and engines were left running for hours without their owners realizing it.

Complicating matters, the system works differently from carmaker to carmaker. "Where you have a second to make an emergency maneuver, you shouldn't have to search around for the right procedure to use on a switch," said Henry Jasny, general counsel at Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety, a nonprofit group based in Washington that pushes for laws to make roads safer.

The risk is considered serious enough that federal regulators and an auto industry trade group are looking at adopting standards.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a statement that it has begun to do so. And the Society of Automotive Engineers formed a committee in July to examine the technology and "study a possible standard on how long the ignition button should be depressed to shut off the engine." But new federal safety rules or industry standards typically can take years. The scrutiny is coming eight years after the first system was introduced by Mercedes-Benz.

All of the systems rely on a similar architecture that uses a fob, a small transmitter that communicates with the vehicle's computer. The fob can unlock doors when the owner is near the vehicle, and the engine can be started with the push of a button on the dash.

But to shut down the engine while the vehicle is moving, drivers must hold down the power button for one to three full seconds, depending on the make.

Some safety experts want a warning label placed on the dashboard telling motorists how to shut off the engine. But industry analysts note that manufacturers typically resist such labels. What's more, automakers maintain that shutting off the engine may not be the best option in an emergency, because the driver will lose power steering and possibly braking ability.

Industry officials note that the devices are wildly popular — on 155 models this year, up from 41 in the 2006 model year, according to the Internet automobile research site Edmunds.com — and that glitches will be eliminated through technological improvements, making regulations unnecessary.

"We really haven't seen too much confusion with these systems," said Dave Proefke, a vehicle security engineer at General Motors Co. "As they become more widely adopted, I think we'll find that they converge in how they operate."

Besides, "it has that cool factor," said Dan Edmunds, director of vehicle testing at Edmunds.com.

Auto safety experts say the industry needs to do a better job explaining the technology and adopt common operating procedures.

In early GM vehicles with push-button start, owners would sometimes shut down the engines with the transmission still in gear.

That would not electronically lock the system, and thieves could simply get in the vehicle, push the start button and drive away, said Forrest Folck, a forensic mechanic in San Diego who investigated the issue for an insurance company.

rvartabedian@tribune.com

No standard

Automakers have adopted different procedures for turning off engines in an emergency for cars with keyless ignitions. Here's how they work for most of their cars:

BMW: Push and hold power button for two seconds or tap button three times.

Chrysler: Push and hold button for three seconds when speed is faster than 5 mph.